Youth Services Specialist II - Grand Mesa YSC - Grand Junction

State of Colorado•Grand Junction, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) mission is to protect, restore, and improve public safety by providing effective supervision, promoting accountability to victims and communities, and helping youth lead constructive lives through positive youth development. DYS operates healthy, trauma-responsive organizational environments. This position is a direct care/essential role that provides direct and engaging supervision of youth in DYS State Operated Secure Facilities. This position also functions as a Lead Worker and is partially accountable for the work product of Youth Services Specialist I (YSS I). The work unit provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week care and supervision of youth in a secure residential setting, covering assignments from Admissions and Control, school and day programming, and detention, assessment, and commitment living units.

Requirements

One (1) year of full-time professional corrections-related experience working in a correctional or trauma-informed facility. Corrections-related experience is defined as the custody and control of a detained or adjudicated population and/or experience as a POST Certified Officer, or Military Law Enforcement.
High school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED).
Be a minimum of 21 years of age.
Possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. Driver's License.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with adjudicated and/or detained youth within a secure facility
Self-motivated
Positive role model
Attention to Detail
Problem Solving
Teamwork
Effective Communication
Adaptability
Trainer certification in staff development
Supervisory, management, and/or leadership experience
Critical Thinking and Decision Making skills
Google Suite: Docs, Sheets, Slides
College degree in social or behavioral sciences, criminal justice, human services, physical education/recreational studies or closely related field
Relevant years of state service experience.

Responsibilities

Provide direct care, safety, security, and supervision of adjudicated and/or pre-adjudicated youth in a secure setting.
Monitor, participate, support, and enforce behavioral management plans for individual youth.
Supervise youth or groups of youth, including daily activities, orientation, and crisis intervention.
Utilize non-escalation, de-escalation, and physical response/restraint in emergency situations.
Debrief all incidents and conduct searches.
As a Work Leader, ensure staff accountability for quality and quantity of work, provide shift supervision, training, coaching, and mentoring of YSS I employees.
Establish work standards, perform quality assurance functions, and provide input for performance evaluations.
Implement and follow the Youth Center’s behavioral management program, teaching, coaching, and redirecting youth.
Support DYS initiatives and strategies related to youth programming and crisis intervention.
Facilitate milieu and skill groups for youth.
Document observations of youth behavior and response to programs, and all unit activities and required information in logs and records systems.
Document all youth group activities in appropriate database systems.
Demonstrate, support, and contribute to a healthy, positive, and respectful cultural climate through all communications and behaviors, adhering to organizational values.
Complete DYS Pre-Service training academy, Youth Center training, and orientation process.
Complete all assigned online training and maintain and support the Division’s prevailing behavior management and intervention strategies.
Transport youth in state vehicles and travel to assigned training and/or alternate work sites.